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# ~ Kirby's Air Ride ~ #
# Top Ride Challenges FAQ #
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# ver. 1.2 #
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# by elumelum, copyright 2003 #
# #
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Contents:
-Introduction
-Version History
-Top Ride Challenges
Explanation of the Clear Check System
Key to Reading the List
General Hints for Completing Challenges
1. Kusa (Grass)
2. Suna (Sand)
3. Sora (Sky)
4. Honoo (Flame)
5. Hikari (Light)
6. Mizu (Water)
7. Tetsu (Iron)
8. Any Course
-Conclusion and Thanks
-Copyrights, etc.
------------
Introduction
------------
This FAQ is designed to help you identify and complete the challenges
littered throughout the Top Ride mode in Kirby's Air Ride. The list
below contains a translation of each of the 120 challenges which are
normally laid out on a grid in the Records menu [Top Ride-> Records (4th
option)-> Clear Check (2nd option)]. Although the challenges are the
same for everybody, the layout of the grid is randomized when you start
a new game. This is why I have arranged the goals by track.
I've assigned numbers to the goals below arbitrarily: they have no in-game
equivalent. They simply serve to organize them more clearly in this list.
I've also tried to put similar challenges next to each other.
I hope to include some strategies for the particularly tough goals in a future
version, but first I'm going to translate the grid for the City Trial mode.
Translation Notes: I'm not sure what the difference is, if any, between the
"Compete over 10 times" (#116) type of goal and the "Complete a race over 20
times total" (#118) type of goal, but they don't seem too hard to accomplish,
so I left the translations fairly literal. I also am not sure about the
"ant lion" versus the "sand worm" issue on the sand stage, but once again,
doing the actual goals was pretty easy/self-explanatory, so I left the
translation fairly literal.
Please check out the Key before diving in. Enjoy!
---------------
Version History
---------------
Ver. 1.2 Added total number of goals and info from other modes.
Ver. 1.0 All Challenges complete, many typos and errors fixed.
Ver. 0.5 The first version. 120 Challenges translated--about 70 completed.
-------------------
Top Ride Challenges
-------------------
Kusa (Grass): 13 Goals 3 Prizes 1 Free Check
Suna (Sand): 14 Goals 3 Prizes 1 Free Check
Sora (Sky): 13 Goals 3 Prizes ............
Honoo (Flame): 13 Goals 3 Prizes 1 Free Check
Hikari (Light): 14 Goals 4 Prizes 1 Free Check
Mizu (Water): 12 Goals 5 Prizes ............
Tetsu (Iron): 14 Goals 3 Prizes ............
Any Course: 27 Goals 9 Prizes 1 Free Check
--------------------------------------------------------------
Total: 120 Goals 33 Prizes 5 Free Checks
(Air Ride: 120 Goals 46 Prizes)
(City Trial: 120 Goals 44 Prizes)
==========================================
(All 3 Modes: 360 Goals 123 Prizes)
Explanation of the Clear Check System/The Grid:
-----------------------------------------------
Take a look at the grid, found by selecting Clear Check in the Records menu
[Top Ride-> Records (4th option)-> Clear Check (2nd option)]. Each square
on the grid represents a challenge. There are 10 rows and 12 columns, so
there are 120 challenges.
When you start the game, the grid is empty. You can move the cursor around
the grid, but you will be unable to read any of the challenges. As soon as
you complete a challenge, it will fill in the corresponding square on your
grid, which will allow you to see other challenges. When a square is filled
in, it affects the surrounding squares in the following way:
[-] = Completely Blank square
[g] = Grey square (readable goal)
[X] = Filled in square (red, green, or purple, see below)
If the center of this 3x3 mini-grid gets filled in (the goal is completed)...
[-][-][-]
[-][-][-]
[-][-][-]
...it will change to this.
[-][g][-]
[g][X][g]
[-][g][-]
Thus you can read the grid squares that directly touch the one you filled in.
This is the manner you are supposed to go about discovering and completing
challenges. However, if you can't read Japanese, you have to either guess
at the meanings (which works pretty well for the ones that show lap times), or
use a list such as this one. In the case of using this list, understanding
the grid will really only help you find where you want to put the purple
squares--the rest of completing the challenges will be up to you.
Green squares on the grid indicate a completed challenge.
Red squares also indicate a completed challenge, but only red squares give
prizes when filled in. Without knowing previously (from a friend or this
guide), there's no way to tell if completing a challenge will unlock something
until you do it.
Purple squares are awarded as prizes ("1 Free Check") and will rest in the
sidebar until you choose to use them. If you highlight them and press the
A button, and answer yes to the question that follows (the left and default
option), you can then choose a challenge to automatically complete for free
by dropping the purple square onto the grid.
If you don't know Japanese or kana at all, the only way to tell what the
challenge is that you're clearing (provided that the square is even grayed
in) is to try to look at the numbers on it if there are any, or to learn
to recognize the course names, which are written in katakana.
NOTE: You can not drop the purple square onto the "Clear 100 challenges"
block. Sneaky jerks.
Also, I highly recommend not messing with the memory card while using purple
blocks to try to cheat and see if you unlock anything. They implemented
the saving carefully, and it will try to save before it shows you the square.
If you pull the card out at the wrong time, you risk data loss.
Once you fill in the whole grid, it will change to gold and flash some
Japanese Characters (Kanji) at you. Any squares you put purples on will
remain purple until you complete those challenges.
Key to Reading the List:
------------------------
A "-" after the goal number indicates the square is green when completed.
A "*" after the goal number indicates the square is red when completed.
A "?" means I haven't completed the goal yet, so I'm not sure of the color.
Time Attack is the top option under "Free Run", the second menu option under
Top Ride (below "Game Start").
Free run is the bottom option under "Free Run" from the Top Ride menu.
All Time Attack goals are for the default number of laps.
Each course has the following 11 goals:
1 "Finish x laps in xx'xx"xx" (Top Ride mode with default laps),
2 Time Attack goals,
2 Free Run goals, and then the six other goals:
"Run over 100 laps total",
"Finish in 1st over 10 times total",
"Finish in 1st against a Level 5 CPU",
"Finish in 1st without using the push",
"Finish in 1st by a 5 second margin", and
"Finish 1st without getting any items".
Each course also has a few challenges specific to it that have to do with
elements only it contains. In the listing below, these come at the end of
each course's list.
General Hints for Completing Challenges
---------------------------------------
-For all of the challenges, at least as far as I can tell, you can alter the
rules and difficulty settings as much as you want, and do them against any mix
of 1 - 3 human/CPU opponents (unless otherwise specified). Some interesting
examples include:
-For any "Finish in 1st place against a Level 5 Computer player" challenge,
you only need to have one CPU Level 5 active. You could race against a
Level 5 CPU and two Level 1 CPUs, or just a Level 5 CPU, as long as you
finished in first place. You can also set the laps to just one lap, making
it an intense roughly 10-second showdown, but also cutting down on the
amount of
random stuff that could go wrong.
-The same 1-lap strategy is also beneficial for the "Finish 1st without
using the push" challenges and "Finish 1st over 10 times total" challenges.
-The 100 lap challenges for each course must be completed in "Normal Mode": in
other words, not in Free Ride or Time Attack.
1. Kusa (Grass) (13 Goals, 3 Prizes)
------------------------------------
1 - Finish 7 laps in 00'43"00
2 * Time Attack: Finish within 00'33"00; Prize: 1 Free Check
3 - Time Attack: Finish within 00'28"00
4 - Free Run: Get a lap time under 00'06"00
5 - Free Run: Get a lap time under 00'04"50
6 - Run over 100 laps total in Normal Mode
7 - Finish in 1st place over 10 times total
8 - Finish in 1st place against a Level 5 Computer player
9 - Finish in 1st place with at least a 5 second margin over 2nd place
10 - Finish in 1st place without using the "push" (without hitting A at all)
11 * Without turning items off, finish 1st place without getting any items
Prize: Soundtest: Kusa
12 * Step on a dash panel 5 times and finish in 1st place
Prize: Alternate Song: Kusa (hold X or Y when selecting course)
13 - In one match, knock down at least 30 bombs from the trees
2. Suna (Sand) (14 Goals, 3 Prizes)
-----------------------------------
14 - Finish 7 laps in 00'52"00
15 - Time Attack: Finish within 00'35"00
16 * Time Attack: Finish within 00'29"00;
Prize: Alternate Song: Suna (hold X or Y when selecting course)
17 - Free Run: Get a lap time under 00'06"50
18 - Free Run: Get a lap time under 00'05"00
19 - Run over 100 laps total in Normal Mode
20 - Finish in 1st place over 10 times total
21 - Finish in 1st place against a Level 5 Computer player
22 - Finish in 1st place with at least a 5 second margin over 2nd place
23 * Finish in 1st place without using the "push" (without hitting A at all);
Prize: Soundtest: Suna
24 - Without turning items off, finish 1st place without getting any items
25 - Fall into the ant lion over 20 times in one match
26 * Fall into the ant lion over 50 times total; Prize: 1 Free Check
27 - Get caught by the sand worm at least 3 times and finish in 1st place
3. Sora (Sky) (13 Goals, 3 Prizes)
----------------------------------
28 - Finish 6 laps in 01'02"00
29 - Time Attack: Finish within 00'57"00
30 - Time Attack: Finish within 00'47"00
31 - Free Run: Get a lap time under 00'11"00
32 * Free Run: Get a lap time under 00'09"00;
Prize: Alternate Song: Sora (hold X or Y when selecting course)
33 - Run over 100 laps total in Normal Mode
34 - Finish in 1st place over 10 times total
35 * Finish in 1st place against a Level 5 Computer player;
Prize: Chairo/Brown Kirby (hit X or Y at the Machine Select screen)
36 - Finish in 1st place with at least a 5 second margin over 2nd place
37 - Finish in 1st place without using the "push" (without hitting A at all)
38 - Without turning items off, finish 1st place without getting any items
39 - Finish in 1st place without using any of the "jump plates"
40 * Push the switch on the island at least 5 times and finish in 1st place;
Prize: Soundtest: Sora
4. Honoo (Flame) (13 Goals, 3 Prizes)
--------------------------------------
41 - Finish 6 laps in 00'53"00
42 - Time Attack: Finish within 00'46"00
43 - Time Attack: Finish within 00'39"00
44 - Free Run: Get a lap time under 00'08"00
45 - Free Run: Get a lap time under 00'06"50
46 - Run over 100 laps total in Normal Mode
47 * Finish in 1st place over 10 times total; Prize: Soundtest: Honoo
48 - Finish in 1st place against a Level 5 Computer player
49 - Finish in 1st place with at least a 5 second margin over 2nd place
50 - Finish in 1st place without using the "push" (without hitting A at all)
51 - Without turning items off, finish 1st place without getting any items
52 * Make volcano to erupt (by smashing into it) over 3 times in one match;
Prize: 1 Free Check
53 * Finish in 1st place while you have the "Fire" (Flamethrower) item;
Prize: Alternate Song: Honoo (hold X or Y when selecting course)
5. Hikari (Light) (14 Goals, 3 Prizes)
--------------------------------------
54 - Finish 6 laps in 00'43"00
55 - Time Attack: Finish within 00'38"00;
56 * Time Attack: Finish within 00'33"00;
Prize: Alternate Song: Hikari (hold X or Y at the Course Select screen)
57 * Free Run: Get a lap time under 00'07"50;
Prize: Soundtest: Awards Ceremony Song
(from the Results screen you see after each race)
58 - Free Run: Get a lap time under 00'06"00
59 * Run over 100 laps total in Normal Mode; Prize: Soundtest: Hikari
60 - Finish in 1st place over 10 times total
61 - Finish in 1st place against a Level 5 Computer player
62 - Finish in 1st place with at least a 5 second margin over 2nd place
63 - Finish in 1st place without using the "push" (without hitting A at all)
64 - Without turning items off, finish 1st place without getting any items
65 * Ride at least 5 grindrails and finish in 1st place; Prize: 1 Free Check
66 - Ride the grindrails over 50 times total in Normal Mode
67 - Break at least 6 of the cylinder blocks and finish in 1st place
6. Mizu (Water) (12 Goals, 5 Prizes)
------------------------------------
68 * Finish 5 laps in 01'02"00; Prize: Soundtest: Mizu
69 - Time Attack: Finish within 01'06"00
70 * Time Attack: Finish within 00'56"00;
Prize: Additional Rules: Item Set "Kougeki/Attack" (Attack items)
71 - Free Run: Get a lap time under 00'12"00
72 * Free Run: Get a lap time under 00'10"50;
Prize: Additional Rules: Camera Angle "Yoko/Side" (Side angle)
73 - Run over 100 laps total in Normal Mode
74 - Finish in 1st place over 10 times total
75 - Finish in 1st place against a Level 5 Computer player
76 * Finish in 1st place with at least a 5 second margin over 2nd place
Prize: Alternate Song: Mizu (hold X or Y at the Course Select screen)
77 - Finish in 1st place without using the "push" (without hitting A at all)
78 - Without turning items off, finish 1st place without getting any items
79 * Go in the waterfall 5 times and finish in 1st place;
Prize: Additional Rules: Amount of Tricks
7. Tetsu (Iron) (14 Goals, 3 Prizes)
------------------------------------
80 - Finish 5 laps in 00'58"00
81 - Time Attack: Finish within 00'57"00
82 - Time Attack: Finish within 00'51"00
83 - Free Run: Get a lap time under 00'11"50
84 - Free Run: Get a lap time under 00'9"50
85 - Run over 100 laps total in Normal Mode
86 - Finish in 1st place over 10 times total
87 - Finish in 1st place against a Level 5 Computer player
88 * Finish in 1st place with at least a 5 second margin over 2nd place;
Prize: White Kirby (press X or Y at Machine Select screen)
89 * Finish in 1st place without using the "push" (without hitting A at all);
Prize: Alternate Song: Tetsu (hold X or Y at the Course Select screen)
90 - Without turning items off, finish 1st place without getting any items
91 - Push a switch over 10 times and finish in 1st place
92 - Finish in 1st place without breaking any walls on top of the gears
93 * Break 5 walls on top of the spinning gears and finish in 1st place
Prize: Soundtest: Tetsu
8. Any Course (27 Goals, 9 Prizes)
----------------------------------
94 * Finish in 1st place on every course;
Prize: Additional Rules: Camera Angle "Naname" (Diagonal)
95 - Without turning items off, complete each course at least once without
getting any items
96 * Without turning items off, finish in 1st place on each course at least
once without getting any items; Prize: Item: Lantern
97 * Complete each course at least once without using the "push";
Prize: 1 Free Check
98 - Finish in 1st place on each course without using the "push"
99 - Get the "Candy" (makes you invincible) item over 20 times total
100 - Get the "Mike" (Microphone/Loud Voice) item over 20 times total
101 - Get the "Footbus" (makes you spin) item over 20 times total
102 - Get the "Fire" (Flamethrower) item and burn 3 rivals before it runs out
103 - Get the "Buzzsaw" item and hit 3 rivals before it runs out
104 - Use the "Bomb" item to hit 3 opponents in one match
105 - Finish in 1st place while you have the "Hammer" item
106 * Get over 18 kinds of items (18 different items) total;
Prize: Item: Piyorin (Duck)
107 * Pick up an item over 500 times total ("do 500 item pick-ups")
Prize: Item: Dareyanen (Paint Bucket)
108 - In one match, get the same item 3 times
109 - Do the quick spin at least 20 times in one race and finish in 1st place
110 - Finish in 1st place while spinning (using the Quick Spin maneuver)
111 * Finish in 1st place without hitting a single wall;
Prize: Alternate Rule: Item Set: "Hatena/Good Gracious!"
(Items show up as "?" bags, see Set-up Screen Translation FAQ)
112 - Finish in 1st place with at least a 1-lap margin over 2nd place
113 - Finish in 1st place with at least a 2-lap margin over 2nd place
114 - Free Run: Run at least 100 laps total
115 - Time Attack: Finish a race over 30 times total
116 - Compete over 10 times
117 * Compete over 50 times;
Prize: Purple Kirby (hit X or Y at Machine Select screen)
118 * Complete a race over 20 times total
Prize: Green Kirby (hit X or Y at the Machine Select screen)
119 - Run at least 300 laps total in Normal Mode
120 * Clear at least 100 challenges;
Prize: Ending Movie (Credits) for Top Ride mode
---------------------
Conclusion and Thanks
---------------------
That wraps up the list of challenges. Hope this FAQ helps you enjoy this
great (and often underrated) game!
Also, thanks to Nintendo and HAL Labs, Inc. for producing this game, GameFAQs
for hosting the message board and FAQ sections, and Bobby Conover for helping
me get psyched up about this game in the first place.
----------------
Copyrights, etc.
----------------
This document is Copyright 2003 of Brendan McCracken/elumelum.
DO NOT sell, distribute, or reproduce this guide for any purpose without
contacting me. This guide is my work and my property, and I do not approve
of ANY unauthorized copying or distribution--especially not plagiarism.
Please do not post this FAQ on your web site without contacting me first.
Write me a polite e-mail and I'll be glad to assist you.
My e-mail address for this FAQ is kirby@shammusic.com. I may not respond to
any e-mails unless they contain pertinent questions or relevant information,
and even then, I'm pretty busy so don't take it personally if I don't respond.
Of course, no spamming, please.
Hope you've gotten help or at least satisfaction out of this guide! See ya
next update.